It's Not Cool to leave your pet in a Hot car!

by Michael EdmondsJuly 29, 2018

It's summer and it is hot!!! With parts of the country being over 100 degrees, leave those pets home!

While I have faith that no one would intentionally put their dog in an oven, often people do not realize just how hot it can get in a locked car. People will think they will only be a few minutes or they think it's not that hot out. Or even think their pet will be ok if they just roll down the windows some.

Today Pet Kisses hopes to clear up some of these miss information and help keep pets safe.

Animals can not cool themselves off as well as humans. In only six minutes a car can be so hot that a pet can suffer from heat stroke and possibly die. When the temperatures outside are over 100, pets can die in 6mins!!!

But even when it is a nice 70 F, it can still be too hot for our furry friends. While my dog gives me the sad face when I tell her she has to stay home, it is best for her. Even with leaving your car running with some AC, people think this is ok...but what happens if the car shuts off for whatever reason. Our pets can't restart it. Can't open a window. Can't call you for help. That errand into the grocery stores turns into a tragedy. Instead of taking the risk on the safety of your pet, try these alternatives:

Use the drive-thru for errands. Not only can it save time, often the drive thru's will have treats for your pet!

Bring a friend that can watch your pet while you take care of your errands. Fun for your friend and your pet!!

Shop at a pet-friendly store! There are actually quite a few places that will allow you to bring your pet into the store.

These are only some of the stores. If it is not on the list, just give the store a call and find out if they will let your pet come in. It goes without saying, please be respectable and clean up if there are any accidents.

If you are wanting to get a bite to eat, pick a restaurant al fresco style! The outdoor cafe will let your pet sit right with you and practice their power of influence to get some scraps. 😂

If these options are not available to you, then leave the pet at home where it will be cool and safe. You will have to deal with the sad eyes like my Rose gives me, but they will be much happier in the end.

28 stateshave laws that either prohibit leaving an animal in a confined vehicle under dangerous conditions or provide civil immunity (protection from being sued) for a person who rescues a distressed animal from a vehicle.

Most laws provide that the animal must be confined or unattended in a parked or stationary vehicle. For a person to violate the law, the conditions in the motor vehicle have to endanger the animal's life. Some of the statutes specifically state that extreme hot or cold temperatures, lack of adequate ventilation, or failing to provide proper food or drink meet this definition. Other laws simply state that the conditions pose an imminent threat to the animal's health or safety.

States with such laws typically allow rescue of the animal from the vehicle. This may involve forcibly entering the motor vehicle to remove the trapped animal. The majority of states limit their "rescue" laws to law enforcement, firefighters, animal control, first responders, or authorized humane officers. Recently, about 12 states have enacted laws that allowany personto rescue a distressed animal (AZ, CA, CO, FL, IN, KS, MA, OH, OR, TN, VT, and WI). These laws function to limit the civil or criminal liability of the person for damages resulting from the forcible entry of the vehicle. Indiana is the first and only state to require the person who forcibly enters a vehicle to rescue an animal to pay half the damages. West Virginia and New Jersey are the only states that criminalize the act of leaving a pet unattended under dangerous conditions without providing a rescue and immunity provision for anyone.

With these new rescue laws, most require would-be rescuers to follow a number of steps. For instance, these laws may require that people first ensure the vehicle is locked and forcible entry is the only means to retrieve the animal. The person may be required to first call 911 or local enforcement before entering the vehicle. The law may require that a note is left indicating the safe location of the animal and that the person remains on scene until law enforcement or other first responders arrive.

Penalties for leaving an animal unattended in a motor vehicle under dangerous conditions vary from state to state. A few states make it an immediate fine like other civil infractions. The rest of the states assign a misdemeanor penalty, with fines ranging from a couple hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. Some list possible jail time or imprisonment. New Hampshire makes a second conviction a felony offense.

While not all states have laws that address animals in parked vehicles, numerous local ordinances prohibit this, and more may be enacted. Even without a state or local law, this action could still constitute cruelty under some circumstances. In fact, in the Texas case ofLopez v. State, the defendant left his dog in his car on a hot day to go and watch a movie in a theater. He was ultimately convicted under the state's anti-cruelty law. Notably, Texas does not have a statute that specifically addresses dogs left in parked vehicles.

A few years back while traveling I ran across a distressed pet. It was incredibly hot out and I ended up breaking into the car before the police arrived. I ended up having to pay 50% of the broken window, a small price for saving the pet. Laws are getting better and better to protect the pets, but everyone keeping an eye for stranded animals will be far more effective.

So remember, 70 degrees is too hot and it can take only a few minutes to cause serious harm to an animal. Keep your pets safe and watch out for others in harms way!